The present invention relates to a walking device and its use and more particularly to a walking device which simulates a walking or running gait of a legged animal.
It is difficult and often impossible to traverse certain surfaces with wheeled devices. Certain surfaces, such as slippery, sandy, iced, muddy, snowed, etc. surfaces, often result in complete immobilization of the wheeled device. Other difficult to traverse surfaces, such as stepped, obstructed, uneven, etc. surfaces, frequently create insurmountable barriers for wheeled devices. It would be desirable to provide a walking device which would simulate the walking gait of an animal so as to overcome these shortcomings of wheeled devices.
The present invention provides a walking device which simulates a walking step or gait of an animal. The device comprises pivotal linking sites and linkages which actuate a walking gait. The walking device includes a frame which supports a walking assembly composed of a cooperative arrangement of linkages axially connected together so as to provide a walking assembly which simulates the walking gait of an animal. The linkages are appropriately linked together by axial linking means for axially connecting the linkages together and to the frame. The linkages include a pair of rocker arms (upper and lower) axially mounted to a frame, a connecting arm or rod, a reciprocating leg and a cranking link. The pair of rocker arms includes a first rocker arm (upper) and a second rocker arm (lower) respectively axially anchored at one of their respective rocker arm ends to the frame and to different linkages at an opposite rocker arm end. The cranking link is also axially mounted to the frame in operative association with a power source and operatively linked to at least one connecting rod so as to provide locomotion to the interconnected linkages of the walking assembly. The walking assembly includes a reciprocating leg equipped at one leg end with a foot and a hip joint at an opposite leg end. The hip joint is axially coupled to an opposite rocker arm end from the axial mount of one rocker arm end to the frame. The first rocker arm limits locomotion of the hip joint about an acute arcual path as the first rocker arm and upper extremity of the leg reciprocates about the path when placed under locomotion by the power source.
A connecting rod powered by the cranking link connected to a suitable power source at a power end of the connecting rod and axially connected at a drive end of the rod to a knee joint centrally disposed between the hip joint and foot of the leg serves as a drive train for transferring the revolutionary motion of the cranking link to a reciprocating motion for powering the leg. The connecting rod includes an elbow joint connecting site axially linked to the second rocker arm which, similar to the first rocker arm, is also axially anchored at an opposite rod end to the frame.
The second rocker arm serves to limit the reciprocating motion of the elbow joint of the reciprocating arm as well as the knee joint of the leg. In operation, the first rocker arm and the second rocker arm cooperatively serve to limit the gait to a reciprocating arcual motion.
The cranking link includes a crank shaft powered by a suitable power source and a crank pin operatively connected to the connecting rod. Locomotion to the walking assembly is generated by any suitable power source powering the crank which, in turn, drives connecting rod. The crank shaft powered by a manual or motorized power source supplies rotational motion to the crank pin which transfers the orbital motion to the reciprocating motion of the connecting rod. Each revolution of the crank pin simulates a complete step. Thus, for each revolution of the crank pin, the reciprocating connecting rod as well as the leg will complete one reciprocating cycle (i.e. a complete forward and a complete rearward reciprocating motion).
The pivotal joints linking the linkages (i.e. the leg, the rocker arm, the connecting rod and cranking linkage) together and to the frame may be comprised of any suitable connecting link at the linkages which permit the linkages to revolve about the connecting links, such as a rod, pin, spindle shaft, axle or any other orbital connecting means which permit the linkages to revolve about their respective connective joints or links. Three of the linkages, namely the two rocker arms and the crank, are connectively linked to the frame while the remaining linkages are interconnected together. The first and second rocker arms rotate about connective axle sites attached to the frame which serve to generally limit the reciprocating motion of the connecting rod and the leg to arcual path. The frame provides the supportive structure for the linkages while also permitting a plurality of legged assemblies to be mounted to a single frame.
The rocker arms serve to limit the legged motion to a reciprocating arcual movement by limiting the horizontal and vertical motion of the reciprocating leg. Thus, when power is supplied to the crank, the connecting rod rotates about the crank link (pin)causing the rod to move the leg upwardly and downwardly through an arcual path for 180xc2x0 (similar to a foot lifting gait) followed by a substantially horizontal backward motion to the 360xc2x0 position at which time the sequence again repeats itself. Multiple walking assemblies, each of which simulate a single leg of an animal, may be mounted to the frame so as to create a walking or running gait. In a walking device for simulating the walking gait of an animal, three or more legs may be effectively utilized to stabilize the device against tipping.